Sports briefs

49er fan sues NFL for $50M over playoff tickets

RENO, Nev. - John E. Williams III has been a San Francisco 49ers fan since John Brodie was throwing touchdown passes at Candlestick Park in the 1970s. So he was excited about the prospects of scoring a ticket to make the trip to Seattle in January to watch the rivals battle in the NFC Championship Game.

But the Las Vegas man says in a $50 million lawsuit against the NFL that his hopes were dashed by the league and others he accuses of engaging in "economic discrimination" with an illegal ticket policy limiting credit-card sales to selected pro-Seattle markets. His lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas says it was part of an effort to keep 49er fans away and further promote the Seahawks' boisterous home-field advantage at CenturyLink Field.

"They're always boasting up there about their 12th player and everything else," Williams told The Associated Press on Friday. "But by allowing the NFL to decide who can or cannot attend the games, you make it an unfair game. Seattle fixed it."

Orioles put slugger Davis on disabled list

BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Orioles have put first baseman Chris Davis on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique.

The move is retroactive to Saturday. Davis left Friday night's game against Kansas City after four innings and has not played since.

Baltimore did not make a move Sunday to fill the roster spot. The Orioles are off Monday, and manager Buck Showalter said the team will fill out the 25-man roster before Tuesday's game against Pittsburgh.